Crohn’s Disease and CBD Oil

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disorder (IBD), a chronic condition where the bowel becomes inflamed, causing pain, diarrhoea, and a variety of other symptoms. It is commonly diagnosed in childhood or early adulthood, and it is something that a person will have for life. 

Crohn’s disease symptoms can be constant, or they can flare up at times and then subside. They include:

• stomach cramps and pain
• diarrhoea
• blood in faeces
• weight loss
• tiredness and fatigue
• nausea
• temperature
• soreness of joints
• sore areas of skin, usually on the legs
• children with Crohn’s may not grow as quickly or at expected rate

It is not yet known what causes Crohn’s disease. While diet, exercise and stress levels can play a part in causing or reducing flare ups, it is not clear why the disease begins. It is likely that a combination of factors increase the risk of developing Crohn’s, including if there are family members with the condition, impaired immunity functioning, and the environment in which a person lives.

Crohn’s disease is not always easy to diagnose, as many of the symptoms could also point to other conditions. Getting tested is essential in confirming Crohn’s disease diagnosis. Tests usually include a colonoscopy, which is where a small camera views the bowel for signs of inflammation, a biopsy where a piece of tissue is removed to be examined, or MRI or CT scans.

Crohn’s disease diagnosis means that finding the optimal treatments and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are key to managing the symptoms and reducing the frequency of Crohn’s flare-ups.

Traditional Treatment Options for Crohn’s Disease

Unfortunately, there is not yet a cure for Crohn’s disease. The symptoms are managed by medications, a controlled diet, or in some cases, surgery.

Medications for Crohn’s disease include steroids to help relieve inflammation, immunosuppressants to reduce the activity of the immune system, and biological medicines that contain parts of living organism. These are used when other medicines are not working to provide enough relief from Crohn’s disease. With medications come many unpleasant side effects, such as slow growth through taking steroids, weight gain, and being more prone to infections. As those with Crohn’s may have slow growth during childhood, it is easy to see why parents may want to avoid excessive use of steroids.

A liquid diet may be prescribed during a flare up of Crohn’s disease. This is where a drink that contains all the required nutrients a person needs is taken, to help give the digestive system a break from processing solid foods and reducing inflammation. A liquid diet may be needed for a few weeks.

If medications do not work for Crohn’s disease, surgery may be performed to remove inflamed parts of the bowel. The recovery time is a lengthy process and, while the operation will improve symptoms for some time, the inflammation is likely to return.

After getting a Crohn’s disease diagnosis, or experiencing the side effects of its treatment, many look for natural ways to help manage symptoms. This may include keeping a food diary to learn what foods trigger the symptoms most so they can then be avoided, and looking at ways to keep anxiety and stress levels low. There are also health supplements like CBD oil that helps to manage pain, encourage restful sleep and promotes overall health and well-being.

CBD Oil for Crohn’s Disease

CBD (cannabidiol) is a cannabinoid extracted from hemp plants, and it is a popular health supplement due to its many restorative effects. Cannabinoids are compound found in plants from the cannabis species, including hemp and marijuana. However, it is important to understand that each plant has different levels of cannabinoids. For example, there are high levels of THC in marijuana. THC is the cannabinoid that makes users feel high and the reason why marijuana is a common recreational drug. In hemp, the levels of THC are very low, and people who use CBD oil do not feel high.

CBD is a powerful anti-inflammatory, so many use CBD for Crohn’s symptoms or flare-ups to help soothe inflammation of the bowel. In addition, CBD is an effective pain reliever, so reduces the severity of stomach pain caused by Crohn’s disease.

One study carried out by researchers in Israel looked at how cannabinoids could help manage Crohn’s disease. They discovered that “Cannabis use by inflammatory bowel disease patients can induce clinical improvement and is associated with reduced use of medication…”¹. This suggests that the right CBD dosage for Crohn’s may help reduce the frequency and severity of flare-ups, and lessen side effects of medicines through reduced need.

While the research into CBD and Crohn’s shows significant results, another benefit of using CBD is that it can help soothe the side effects of medications used to manage the disease. CBD regulates a number of bodily processes, including sleep and stress, and this contributes to overall health and well-being.

While there is no cure for Crohn’s, using CBD oil helps to improve the symptoms and quality of life for those with the disease. In order to get the most benefits of CBD oil, it is essential to get the correct CBD dosage. We’ve made this easier with our CBD calculator! Instead of a standard recommended dose that works for some but not for others, our calculator gives you a personalised CBD oil dosage for Crohn’s based on your individual information. Simply put a few details into the calculator and you get your result in minutes.

When using CBD, Crohn’s episodes have been shown to improve over time, as well as there being immediate relief from some of the symptoms of both the disease and the side effects of medications. When looking for the best CBD oil for Crohn’s, always get the best quality oil from a trusted supplier in order to get the most potent therapy for your symptoms.

What you need to know about Crohn’s Disease and CBD Oil

Sources:

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31567639/